The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

;PROBABILISM AND INTENTION. 457Weis unnecessary to point out.The Romish doctorsThe famous Escobar teaches, that if men onlyThey may deal a mortal* The Provincial Letters of Blaise Pascal, by Dr M'Crie, p. 6S, et seq.marked national characteristics. There are individuals inRoman Catholic countries sincere, truthful, upright, honourable,just as there are individuals in protestant countrieslamentably devoid of every one of these virtues.speak, of course, of the prevailing character of the mass.First, as regards truth : its obligations are felt in a muchlower degree in popish than in protestant countries. Theimportance of truth to society itIt is the basis on which society rests ; and its existence istaken for granted in all its proceedings, from the commonestbusiness transaction up to the solemn acts of the judgmentseat.The Jesuitical morality of the Romish Church hasdeeply tainted the nations subject to her sway ; and themaxim on which the Church has acted, that faith is not tobe kept when it is to her advantage to break it, is of easytransference to her individual members. The power arrogated,and so often exercised, by the Pope, of annulling vows,promises, and oaths, has tended, too, to destroy all sense oftruth, and all reverence for its claims.have discovered two powerful instruments for banishing allsin from the world, or rather for transmuting all sin intovirtue. These are prohabilism and intention. According tothe first, any course, however criminal in itself, becomesprobably right should any doctor of the Church argue in itsfavour. It would be difficult to name the sin which somegrave doctor has not defended, and which, accordingly,is not probably right. In this way contrary opinions mayboth be probable ; and the inquirer, noways perplexed,chooses the one he likes best.* A greater license to allkinds of sin than the doctrine of intention it is impossibleto imagine.direct aright their intention, that is, if they think not of thesin, but of the benefit flowing from it, there is nothing whichthey may not do with impunity.Edin. 1847.